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Mirtazapine withdrawal, how long does it last?

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rachael42781
rachael42781

Hi, Just looking for some reassurance/support. I was on mirtazapine for about 6months. I went up to 45mg and decided to taper down as I felt they were making me worse and the weight gain was nasty. I felt fab tapering down and generally, its been better than I anticipated however, I'm approaching the 3rd week off of mirtazapine and have started to feel a bit anxious the last few days. I've read withdrawal peaks around the 3/4week mark, so I'm trying to stay positive that it will pass.

15 likes, 803 replies

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  • maria30048
    maria30048 rachael42781

    Posted

    I am fancing the same situation now. I have been in Mirtazapine only for 3 months for a depression with dissotation. Now, apparently I have narcolepsy and to do the full testing, they need to remove the pill, with reduction. Firsts days were kind of ok, but now, 1 week after, I feel really bad, depressed, anxious,etc. 

    Actually Mirtazapine was working for me, appart from the tireness, I felt better, I feel so afraid I am going to be depressed again when I was starting to feel better.

     

    • connie08861
      connie08861 maria30048

      Posted

      How are you feeling now? I'm feeling sick. Should of never got on this med. But it did help. My head is messed up, I'm itchy and feel very down and sleeping in extremely hard. Last pill 9 days ago.

  • sarahlouise1980
    sarahlouise1980 rachael42781

    Posted

    Hi, ive been on Mirtazapine for around 9 months 30mg ive been reporting to the Drs that im convinced im worse on these but they didnt want to listen. The weight gain has been horrendous 60pounds in the first 2 month alone making my self esteem plummet. Long story short for the sake of my family i decided to take the plunge and taper off. Took 15mg for a week then nothing since Saturday. I know ive probably tried to do it too quick but if you knew the state i was in you would understand my eagerness to quit it. I didnt believe the way i was feeling was withdrawal symptoms til i found this site. The flu symptoms, aches and pains, headaches, diarhea, palpatations, extreme anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, the list goes on. I am now feeling positive after ready these posts that it is just withdrawal and however destroying it currently is, i am confident i am not in relapse and i am just withdrawing and it will pass in maybe weeks or months. I am worse in the mornings even before i am fully awake the anxiety takes hold and spirals quickly out of control sometimes passes around lunch time then just complete exhaustion for the rest of the day and finally improving slightly in the evening. I want to thank people for sharing their stories to help me understand my own situation better and i want to encourage others that it can be done. Take care everyone x x x
    • kathleen95857
      kathleen95857 sarahlouise1980

      Posted

      Hi Sarahlouise, Hope this finds you feeling better. I've been on Mirtzapine 30mg for over a year with docs approval I'm down to 15mg, been a week and I feel terrible in the mornings, anxiety, nauseous, stomach upset and nervous, generaly unwell, everything feels too much trouble, even talking. If I'm lucky it does wear off eventually by the afternoon. Just wondering how long it takes before you feel normal, I know everybody is different but I've not had this problem before. I was once on 15mg and came off them slowly on my own without the withdrawal symptoms, I know that's a lower dose and will make the difference. Are you now off Mirt and how long did it take before you felt anything like normal?

      thanks

      Kath xx 

  • doug66992
    doug66992 rachael42781

    Posted

    I was put on Mirtazapine a year ago when I was hospitalized for depression. At 15 miligrams, I gained about twentyfive pounds over the course of a year. With the help of my doctor I titrated off and am now two weeks free of the drug. I've had a few symptoms: interrupted sleep, mild constipation, itching, and some anxiety/depression. I feel  prettty confident that my body is adjusting to the withdrawal pretty well. I'm finding the withdrawal to be less severe than I anticipated. Hope this is useful.

    • connie08861
      connie08861 doug66992

      Posted

      Hi its been hard today. 6 months on mirt 15 mg tapered to 7.5 for a month. Stopped 9 days ago. Hit today, feeling sick. It sucks. Been super itchy since I stopped. Um feeling really down. Remaining strong not to go back on that crap. Does this get better?
  • lauren_35257
    lauren_35257 rachael42781

    Posted

    I'm currently on my 5th day which no mirtazapine (my second attempt of coming off this evil stuff) I've tapered down from 15mg over a couple of months I don't feel to bad at the minute but not sure what to expect over the next couple of weeks, had a few headaches and anxiety been on them for 3 years made me gain so much weight! Just wondering if any one can tell me what to expect? Thank you

    • craig2828
      craig2828 lauren_35257

      Posted

      Hey Lauren, I made it off mirt third time but it was hell, I joined a Facebook group with people that has all been through it, look up Linda user name ppwindowrepairs and ask if you can be added, all the help you need will be found there, wishing you all the luck x
  • doug66992
    doug66992 rachael42781

    Posted

    I've been totally off it for about two months now. It was prescribed for me when I was in the hospital last year, along with Olanzapine, but I no longer need these drugs. One thing  to remember is that it is okay to have emotions, even though they may have been deadened for a while with the Mirtazapine. My withdrawal symptoms were mainly physical -- itching, chills, runny nose -- but that is gone now. Also, my sleep has been spotty since I came off. I recommend Trazodone for sleep. It's easy to come off of when you're ready.

  • lauren_35257
    lauren_35257 rachael42781

    Posted

    Thank you I'll have a luck at the group thanks for all advice it's much appreciated

  • bev89577
    bev89577 rachael42781

    Posted

    hi rachel ive just come across your post and noticed its a year old, im now going through the same as you did and im wondering how you got on with the withdrawls im on my third week now and im going through hell with insomnia and anxiety. 
  • shivgosal52979
    shivgosal52979 rachael42781

    Posted

    I'm using mirtaz 15 mg and ativan2mg and lonazep .5 mg for the past 5 years. I think it is too long. So I decided to stop mirtaz first. It is possible to stop mirtaz.I stopped. Pls explain .

  • jason73643
    jason73643 rachael42781

    Edited

    Hi my name is Jason and I'm a 26 year old guy that's been on avanza for just over 8 years I have stopped taking avanza in the last 5weeks cold turkey due to feeling like I was going to fall over all the time so I was on 45mg then over night went to 22.5 then the next week nothing it's been 5 weeks today and my side effects are insane I would not recommend coming off cold turkey but I've come this far now I have had the worst headaches to the point of crying I've had constant flu like symptoms asthma is very bad intense anxiety to the point where I feel out of body but anyway my question is how long will this last for when will I feel normal again please help thank you kindly for reading

    • morgan_52209
      morgan_52209 jason73643

      Posted

      It took me about 6 weeks to stop feeling the withdrawls. It's been about 3 months since I've been off, I still have issues with appetite and sleeping occasionally but that's it. The side effects were initially awful but not as awful as being on a medication that makes you want to kill yourself. I promise it gets better. I felt sick for a whiles as well, headaches every day, throwing up, diarrhea, irritability, couldn't focus, no sleep, anxiety.... but I promise it does get better every day!

    • granto
      granto morgan_52209

      Posted

      Hello Morgan and thanks for your post. I've been off mirtazapine for 9 weeks now and still feel very anxious and irritable, I just want a bit of reassurance that it does get better. I felt a lot better after a bit but have relapsed a bit. Thankyou , grant

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 granto

      Edited

      Hi Grant, I've had the same experience at week10, It rose its ugly head like never before and I couldn't talk to family or friends about it because I couldn't reassure them that I was going to be ok, I've turned the corner again but I'm aware of the waves and windows in comes in, I've been terrified to say the least and for a moment I thought it was the end of life as I knew it and I was scared because I couldn't of gone on living that way. I lost my way for a time I thought something had gone terribly wrong,I didn't realise the W/D's could go as far as this.

      We will be ok and in time it will pass, I guess we just have to be patient and hang on in there. Take care

    • granto
      granto vikki87350

      Posted

      Thankyou so much Vikki for the lovely reply, I feel EXACTLY how you have just said, I'm gutted because for a few weeks I really thought I was over it and then it hits you when you don't expect it to. Just to have somebody going through the same is very reassuring. I really hope you feel brand new soon and I will be praying for you x

    • granto
      granto vikki87350

      Posted

      Sorry to pester Vikki, but how long have you been off completely now? X
    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 granto

      Posted

      Your not being a pest Grant I know how worried I've been so I really get it

      It's been 10 weeks since my last dose, the Anxiety became huge to the point where I felt it wasn't leaving me, it was way bigger than I'd had in whole10 weeks and it shocked the hell out of me. I definitely know it's my serotonin levels being nonexistent, I've not had any hope in a while and it's getting me down on top of feeling down I'll be happy when my serotonin levels gets better,I'm now looking at natural ways to help increase Happy hormones.

      Give us a shout anytime you feel in doubt, bye for now. Vikki

    • granto
      granto vikki87350

      Posted

      Thanks Vikki, I've had the exact same thing happen to me but it's on the ninth week. Anxiety through the roof and I've had 4 panic attacks this week. I think for some people they are more sensitive to change in their brains than others. Keep me updated on your progress Vikki and if I find a way to ease my symptoms I'll let you know. We will be back to normal in no time, just need to stay positive or depression will creep in. Thanks again for taking the time x

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 granto

      Posted

      Your more than welcome Grant, I agree,some brains are more sensitive,we must stay strong and match this with positive thinking.

      I won't let this get the better of me and nor will you, happy healing x

    • granto
      granto vikki87350

      Posted

      Hello Vikki, just wondering how your feeling in your 11 th week. I'm on week 10 and feeling a little bit better most of the time, still have the odd blipp x

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 granto

      Posted

      Hi Grant, I'm still having a bit of bother..cry cry, I had to get a prescription of Zopiclone because my dreams are disturbing, I feel as though I'm there, it's not nice.

      I worked out my dates and it seems that I'm on the same week as you, I came off 22nd of October and it's been a long painful process of w/d's, I hope your having an easier time of it.

      I'm not sure if my dreams are a cause of stopping the Mirt too quickly and if this had happened in the first couple of weeks I think I'd of ended up back on the Mirt, I've been so close to calling for help but luckily I haven't.

      I'll keep posting,

    • granto
      granto vikki87350

      Posted

      You will definitely get there Vikki, I'm beginning to feel like I was before I started all this and it's really spurring me on! It's like you said it comes in Windows and waves but I know that in another month I'll be ok again and drug free. Please keep me posted because you helped me last week when I was really struggling and ide like to repay the favour if I can. If you feel really rubbish just txt and we can have a chat x

    • granto
      granto

      Posted

      Ps forgot to say the dreams I'm having have been super vivid and realistic but no nightmare ones! I'm still really struggling to get to sleep but once I'm out I dont wake up anymore. I think we have still got a little bit to get over still but it is definitely is just a bit. Stay positive Vikki x

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350 granto

      Posted

      Hi Grant, thanks for your reply, I must admit I'm also feeling more like myself in between the waves and your post has made me feel more positive so thank you I really needed to hear something positive , I'm feeling a lot more optimistic and agree that we will get there, I'm so glad I got through this week it's been a hard one. Take care and thank again x

    • vikki87350
      vikki87350

      Posted

      I'm no longer feeling any discontinuation feelings other than a slight headache and that's nothing in comparison to what it was like and I'm at week 10 just gone, I don't know how to explain it but I'm overwhelmed, I know it could come back but still I said when I felt better I would say,

      Good luck to all of you who are still suffering and remember it all of a sudden goes, OMG I will post again and keep going because we do get there, I've got no Anxiety for the first time in weeks and it's the first night I'll been able to sleep without palpitations and anxiety x

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